LG seeks a ban on BMW & Audi imports to Korea

Electronics giant LG is seeking a ban on imports of BMW & Audi cars to Korea over an ongoing patent infringement dispute with German firm Osman.

It seems there isn’t a day that passes without big companies playing out their patent disputes in courts round the world. We’ve seen ongoing spats between Google, Apple, Samsung and HTC, and now we hear that LG Electronics is seeking a ban on imports of Audi and BMW cars to Korea over an LED patent dispute with Siemans Osram.

LG Electronics has already demanded a ban on imports of LED products from Siemans Osram, and is now stepping up the pressure by demanding that Audi and BMW cars featuring Osram LED lights be banned.

This demand is another step in the ongoing spat involving LG Electronics, Samsung LED and Osram, with LG stepping up the pressure as it believes the ‘infringement’ of LED patents by Osram is affecting the fast-growing LED market.

This all works the other way round too, with Osram claiming that both Samsung and LG have in fact breached their patents, so should probably be seen as nothing more than a prelude to an agreement between the warring electronic firms.

But in the short term it could result in a temporary ban on imports to Korea for Audi and BMW cars fitted with LEDs, which will put a dent in the growth they’ve seen since they cashed-in with rising sales in Korea after Japan’s turmoil following the earthquake.

Just a corporate version of a playground spat.

Source: Reuters